Hungarian mobile operators form NFC alliance

Magyar Telekom, Telenor and Vodafone have joined with MasterCard, OTP Bank and loyalty programme operator SuperShop to establish the Hungarian Mobile Wallet Association with the aim of developing a technical and operational infrastructure for NFC services in Hungary.

“The aim of the association is to design and articulate as a recommendation the prerequisite technological standards for mobile NFC services and to submit proposals towards the successful implementation of the service, to ensure that partners may freely join the service as well as to implement the necessary education related to the implementation of the innovative mobile NFC services,” says the founders.

“The establishment of the prerequisite ecosystem requires the cooperation of all players. International experiences also testify that the implementation of NFC services constitutes an important phase in which MNOs are able to work with each other and with other market players and that successful implementation depends on cooperation.

“This united move of Hungary’s MNOs may ensure that Hungary will be among the first countries where mobile NFC services may be launched in Europe,” the partners add. The first field trials are expected to go live this year, with the aim of introducing commercial services in 2012.